Emerald Tales
by IluvLupin
Summary: Short vignettes in the life Princess Elphaba. AU.
1. Seeing Green

**Emerald Tales: Seeing Green**

**The Wizard, unhappy with people mocking his daughter because of her skin, builds the Emerald City.**

* * *

The citizens of Oz gathered to hear the words of their Wonderful Wizard. "Citizens of Oz! For the benefit and glory of Oz I am commissioning the building of a City of Emeralds. Green is the colour of happiness and good fortune. It is a very magical colour."

The citizen murmured amongst themselves. They wondered about this idea but were intrigued. Slowly the Ozians grew to love the Emerald city. If the Wizard liked the colour then it had to be good. Buildings were painted green or built from green stones, people wore green clothes and green had become the most popular colour.

Oscar Diggs known as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz looked out over the city, only he knew the real for the Emerald City. He looked downed down at the reason. The reason was his six month old daughter who through his actions was green. He could not bear the thought of his beautiful daughter to be mocked and shunned for skin colour so he built the Emerald City to make the Ozians love the colour green and therefore his daughter. "Hello Elphaba my sweet. How are you this fine morning?" Oscar smiled as he picked her up. She giggled. Looking at her was bittersweet, because of his miracle elixir, Melena had died in childbirth and Elphaba born green.

The time was right, he decided to introduce to his daughter to the people of Oz.


	2. Magic

**Emerald Tales: Magic**

**Morrible teaches Elphaba magic for the first time. Elephaba learns not all magic is real.**

* * *

Elphaba hid behind her father the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She stared at the strange woman in front of her. She looked like an overdressed fish. "Ah Your Ozness hoe great to see you again!" the fish lady gushed.

The Wizard shook her hand "Madame Morrible, this is Elphaba my daughter." He introduced.

Morrible leaned down in front of Elphaba "Hello there dearie."

Elphaba hid further behind her father. "Elphaba, this is Madame Morrible. She is here to teach you magic darling. Now come out for the nice lady." The Wizard said pushing his daughter out in front of him. "Now I will leave you two to get to know each other." With that he left the room.

Elphaba continued to stare at Madame Morrible.

Morrible pulled out a training wand and handed it to Elphaba "I hear that you have quite some talent, well I will help train you good."

Later that night Oscar was tucking his daughter into bed as she recounted her first magic lesson. "And then Madame Morrible made it snow in the garden...even though it's summer! Isn't that amazing! Then... then I made water spurt out of my wand! Next time we're gonna make things fly. Can you do that? Make things fly?" Elphaba babbled happily.

He froze for a moment at the question. He was not sure how to tell his precious daughter that he couldn't actually do any magic. "Princess... um... Now I have to tell you something but you can't tell anyone okay? Can you do that princess? This is just our little secret." She nodded solemnly "I can't do any magic."

Elphaba looked confused "But you're a wizard. You do magic."

Oscar smiled sadly at his only child feeling like he was letting her down, something he hated doing. "No sweetheart they're just tricks. See." He showed her a simple magic trick. She looked absolutely crushed when she realized the truth so he pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh I'm so sorry darling but I'm not magical like you. You're special. Always remember that."


	3. Leaving the Nest

**Emerald Tales: Leaving the Nest**

**Princess Elphaba leaves to attend Shiz for the first time.**

* * *

Oscar Diggs was like any other parent, and like any other parent he fretted over his daughter leaving for university. "Now do you have everything? Your books? Clothes? Enough shoes?" he asked for the zillionth time that day, but Elphaba just laughed.

"Yes Father. Just like last time and the time before that." She looked at the pile of suitcases around her "Are all these really necessary?" Elphaba felt silly heading off to Shiz with so much. 'It'll take a cart to carry all this!' She thought.

"One can never be too prepared. Now Madam Morrible has assured me that you will have a private suite all to yourself." The Wizard smiled at his daughter.

"I told you I don't need a private suite I can share like anyone else." Elphaba huffed.

"I know you want to be anonymous but there is nothing wrong with being a princess." Oscar waged a finger at his daughter. She just kissed him one last time and climbed into the train carriage bound for Shiz.

At Shiz, Elphaba shifted uncomfortably as she hid in the shadows hoping to not be noticed. She hated all the attention that she normally gathered in public. Between the green skin and her status as the Emerald princess everyone had a habit of staring at her. She wanted to be just an ordinary student. She needn't have worried as everyone was too busy paying attention to some rich Gillikin girl with blond curls and a white dress. Elphaba smirked at the sycophantic behaviour of the others, 'Figures.'

At that moment Madame Morrible appeared to welcome them to the school. That's when it became apparent that there had been a mix up in the room assignments. "Excuse me, excuse me Madame Morrible." The blond called out. "There seems to be a mistake, my father personally ensured a suite!" she said in near tears.

Madame Morrible looked at the girl without much care "Well my dear you will have to find someone to share with."

The blond looked around at her earlier admirers but none were willing to share their room with her.

Elphaba felt bad for the girl, despite all the popularity she had managed to acquire in the short time that they had been there no one would help her. She step forward "I don't mind sharing Madame Morrible. I'm sure the suite is big enough for the two of us."

Everyone turned to look at her. The murmuring reached a crescendo as the students realized who she was. The Headshiztress smiled at this "Wonderful, Miss Galinda and Mis Elphaba will share a room." Galinda dried her tears as Elphaba offered her a hand because who could refuse the Wizard's daughter.

Elphaba smiled, this may not be what her father wanted but she was making her first real friend.


	4. Doctor Dillamond I presume

**Emerald Tales: Doctor Dillamond I presume**

**Elphaba has her first class with the good doctor**

* * *

Elphaba had always liked to read even at a young age, but as she got older she felt that it was important that she prepare herself to eventually run all of Oz therefore she had begun to read history books to learn from her predecessors. This is how she discovered the writings of Dr Dillamond. She voraciously read all his books on the Ozmas of old. So when it came time to pick a university to study at there was only one choice for Elphaba –Shiz where Dr Dillamond was currently teaching.

The time had finally arrived for her to meet her idol: her first history class. She was eagar to discuss his theory of the Great Drought and its impact on Animals. Her father had become the Great and Terrible Oz during this time of strife with the promise of ending the suffering. She wanted to learn more from this most learned man how she could help the people just like her father once did. She walked up to the Goat writing on the chalkboard at the front of the class. "Dr Dillamond, sir, I'm Elphaba, we corresponded a few times." She gushed.

The professor turned to look at his newest student. His face lit up at the sight of who had actually been corresponding with. "Ah, Your Highness _you_ are the Elphaba I have been exchanging letters with?" he exclaimed "What a lovely surprise. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your letters my dear. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts and opinions especially from someone in such a unique position."

Elphaba blushed "Please don't feel like you need to treat me any different just because my father is the Wizard . I am here to learn just like everyone else."

Dr. Dillamond smiled kindly and placed a hand on shoulder "But my dear, unlike the others you are going to rule over all of Oz. This is a great responsibility. Your words, your actions will have far reaching consequences. What you do, whether good or bad, will affect us all. Your thoughts and opinions are some of the most important in all of Oz. You are not _just_ some student." He said emphatically.

She blushed harder and stammered "I...I'll go...sit down now." Dashing quickly for the first available seat. Elphaba was determined more than ever to do well and learn all she could so one day she could prove that she could make good.


End file.
